The Sobering Truth About Drinking and Driving

Often, mere numbers fail to convey the true loss which is being quantified. Like the number of U.S. Soldiers and Marines who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or like the number of our fellow citizens who are killed every year in Pennsylvania alcohol-related car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents.

The following numbers were prepared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2008, nearly 40% of all Pennsylvania fatal car accidents involved alcohol. Pennsylvania drunk driving statistics are a sobering reminder of the human tragedy created by the deadly mix of alcohol and driving.

Alcohol-related deaths in the US since 1982:

Total fatalities

Alcohol-related

fatalities

Year

Number

Number

Percent

1982

43,945

26,173

60

1983

42,589

24,635

58

1984

44,257

24,762

56

1985

43,825

23,167

53

1986

46,087

25,017

54

1987

46,390

24,094

52

1988

47,087

23,833

51

1989

45,582

22,424

49

1990

44,599

22,587

51

1991

41,508

20,159

49

1992

39,250

18,290

47

1993

40,150

17,908

45

1994

40,716

17,308

43

1995

41,817

17,732

42

1996

42,065

17,749

42

1997

42,013

16,711

40

1998

41,501

16,673

40

1999

41,717

16,572

40

2000

41,945

17,380

41

2001

42,196

17,400

41

2002

43,005

17,524

41

2003

42,643

17,013

40

2004

42,518

16,919

39

2005

43,443

16,885

39

2006

42,532

15,829

37

2007

41,059

15,387

37

2008

37,261

13,846

37

Drinking and driving fatalities by state in 2008 (ranked by highest number ofalcohol-related* deaths):

State

Total Fatalities

Alcohol-Related

Fatalities

Number

Percent

Texas

3,382

1,463

43

California

3,434

1,198

35

Florida

2,978

1,041

35

Pennsylvania

1,468

578

39

North Carolina

1,433

500

35

Georgia

1,493

489

33

South Carolina

920

463

50

Illinois

1,043

434

42

Ohio

1,190

415

35

New York

1,231

409

33

Louisiana

912

404

44

Tennessee

1,035

386

37

Alabama

966

367

38

Virginia

824

365

44

Missouri

960

364

38

Michigan

980

331

34

Arizona

937

329

35

Mississippi

783

297

38

Oklahoma

749

274

37

Indiana

814

250

31

Wisconsin

605

250

41

Kentucky

826

226

27

Washington

521

225

43

Arkansas

600

205

34

Colorado

548

202

37

New Jersey

590

197

33

Maryland

591

186

31

Minnesota

456

161

35

Oregon

416

159

38

Kansas

385

157

41

Massachusetts

363

151

42

West Virginia

380

142

37

Nevada

324

121

37

New Mexico

366

118

32

Iowa

412

113

27

Connecticut

264

104

40

Montana

229

103

45

Idaho

232

93

40

Nebraska

208

75

36

Wyoming

159

75

47

Utah

275

55

20

New Hampshire

139

53

38

North Dakota

104

52

50

Hawaii

107

50

46

Delaware

121

49

40

Maine

155

47

30

South Dakota

119

41

34

Rhode Island

65

29

45

Alaska

62

24

38

Vermont

73

15

21

Dist of Columbia

34

13

39

National

37,261

13,846

37

Puerto Rico

399

162

41

The table below showsalcohol-impaired** motor vehicle fatalities in the US for 2008.

State

Total Fatalities*

BAC=.08+

Number

Number

Percent

Texas

3,382

1,269

38

California

3,434

1,029

30

Florida

2,978

875

29

Pennsylvania

1,468

496

34

North Carolina

1,433

423

30

Georgia

1,493

416

28

South Carolina

920

403

44

Illinois

1,043

362

35

Ohio

1,190

356

30

New York

1,231

341

28

Louisiana

912

338

37

Tennessee

1,035

327

32

Alabama

966

315

33

Virginia

824

294

36

Missouri

960

310

32

Michigan

980

282

29

Arizona

937

266

28

Mississippi

783

266

34

Oklahoma

749

244

33

Indiana

814

208

26

Wisconsin

605

208

34

Kentucky

826

200

24

Washington

521

182

35

Arkansas

600

171

28

Colorado

548

173

32

New Jersey

590

154

26

Maryland

591

152

26

Minnesota

456

135

30

Oregon

416

136

33

Kansas

385

145

38

Massachusetts

363

124

34

West Virginia

380

128

34

Nevada

324

107

33

New Mexico

366

105

29

Iowa

412

89

22

Connecticut

264

86

32

Montana

229

91

40

Idaho

232

78

34

Nebraska

208

55

27

Wyoming

159

67

42

Utah

275

46

17

New Hampshire

139

45

32

North Dakota

104

47

46

Hawaii

107

42

39

Delaware

121

45

37

Maine

155

43

28

South Dakota

119

34

29

Rhode Island

65

25

38

Alaska

62

21

33

Vermont

73

12

16

Dist of Columbia

34

9

26

National

37,261

11,773

32

Puerto Rico

399

132

33

At Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., we are Erie wrongful death lawyers who know that your loss cannot be measured by just a number. To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Erie injury lawyers, call today toll free at 814-833-7100 or fill out the online form.

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